Milwaukee’s presenter of Medieval, Renaissance, and Baroque music from around the world prides itself on promoting not only well-established ensembles, but also young artists new to the field. Early Music Now continues its 27th season with a young ensemble from Montreal that is off to a fast start in developing their following.

Pallade Musica brings together four of Montreal’s most promising early music performers. Grand Prize winners at the Early Music America Baroque Performance Competition in New York, October 2012, the quartet consists of Tanya LaPerrière, Baroque violon, Elinor Frey, Baroque cello, Esteban La Rotta, theorbo, and Mylène Bélanger, harpsichord. As part of their prize, these musicians won a handful of concert opportunities in the United States: Indianapolis, Seattle, Pittsburgh, and Milwaukee – presented by Early Music Now with assistance from Early Music America.

Their Milwaukee performance will take place at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, 914 East Knapp Street on Saturday, November 16th at 5:00. The concert will be preceded by a lecture at 4:00, and followed by a reception celebrating Early Music Now’s 27th Anniversary.

The program is titled “Terreno e vago,” taking inspiration from two Italian words that can be used to characterize emotional effects found in Italian Baroque music. Terreno represents the earth – that which is profane, secular, regular, and defined. The contrasting vago is music of reflection – that which is irregular, spiritual, sacred, elusive, and vague.

The Italians relished adventurous nuance, extreme dynamics, and the chance to demonstrate skillful playing. These qualities are demonstrated in this concert by Dario Castello’s (1590-1658) dazzling sonatas in stile moderno, a style emanating from Italy that utilized expressive harmonies and theatrical effects, often linked to a specific instrument. The program includes representative music of many relatively unknown early Baroque composers, such as Giovanni Paolo Cima (1570-1630), Francesco Rognoni (d. 1626), and Alessandro Piccinini (1566-1638); as well as sonatas and canzonas by Tarquinio Merula (1595-1665) and Domenico Scarlatti (1685-1757).

Tickets for this 5:00 concert are $25-$40 for adults and seniors, $10-$20 for students, and are available online at EarlyMusicNow.org, by phone at 414.225.3113, or from Early Music Now at 759 N Milwaukee St – Ste 420, Milwaukee, WI 53202. Groups of 10 or more receive a 20% discount on ticket prices.

An abbreviated version of this concert will also be performed at UW-Parkside on Friday evening, November 15th, as the conclusion of an Early Music Now collaborative residency with the Music Department, which also includes anafternoon lecture demonstration. Contact the UW-Parkside Box Office at 262-595-2564 for more information.

Early Music Now is an Affiliate Member of the United Performing Arts Fund.